Two Asiatic black bears have been liberated from a lifetime of suffering after being locked in a dark basement beneath a clothing shop in Vietnam. For years, they had suffered agonizing bile extractions for the illegal bear bile trade.
A male bear named Xuan endured these appalling conditions for 17 years, reportedly after being captured as a cub in 2004. It’s unknown how long his female counterpart, Mo, has been held captive. Both were kept in small cages in a basement without ventilation, natural light, or sensory stimulation.
